I saved a bee today!

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Ray Luxury-Yacht

Original Poster:

8,910 posts

215 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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Warning - this is a 'cool story bro' and so not very interesting if you're not really into nature!

When I got up this morning, I found a 'fully-striped livery' bumble bee on my bathroom windowsill. I think it had come in yesterday, although I didn't see it. The poor thing was still alive, but barely. Not animated at all, even when gently poked.

I put a little bit of honey on a dish, and carefully lifted him onto the plate, near the edge of the blob of honey. He immediately extended his proboscis ( I think it's called ) and presumably began eating. It's little body was moving in and out, almost like a concertina! I was fascinated to see him up close, I loved his colourful fur, and his stubby little legs. He was a beautiful little creature.

After about 20 minutes of me not being sure if it was helping much, he suddenly withdrew from the honey, and started to preen his face and antennae with his front legs. He began to walk around the dish with some conviction, and stand tall, whilst buzzing his wings more and more.

I went outside holding the dish, and after some more buzzing he suddenly took off from the dish, and flew up and away over the garden wall at a hell of a pace!

I know this isn't a terribly exciting story to relate, but I wanted to share it because it gave me such delight to have helped a tiny little insect that was near death, to get back to his hive and hopefully continue where he left off before becoming trapped in my bathroom. With all the doom and gloom of Covid and politics, a little thing like this lifted my spirits like nothing else. I feel really fortunate to have had such a lovely affirmation with nature today.

Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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It's a shame more on here don't share or understand your values.

My wife always picked up cold bees and fed them honey. Very docile and happy to be revived. It's very rewarding to do 'your bit' for nature and nature rewards given half a chance.

Of course many are to busy ripping up their gardens to park some stty bit of white goods up front, derr.

Ambleton

6,646 posts

191 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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Boosted LS1 said:
Of course many are to busy ripping up their gardens to park some stty bit of white goods up front, derr.
Or fake grass...

This year we've gone on a bit of a planting spree. Lots of lavender, sunflowers, foxgloves etc.

Our garden I'm sure to most looks overgrown and a mess but we have a lot of insects, bees, bugs, and frogs.

Especially earlier on in the year when our rosemary Bush was awash with blue flowers, it was always swarming with bees.

From what I understand bees suffer with dehydration so a rock pool feature that they can land on and have a drink is a great benefit to them.

Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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Some friends nearby trashed the rear garden and pond as it was a bit unruly. It all got covered in sand, slabs and some decking. Then the built a bar and hung up a plastic hedge. It's hard to believe but these people are real. They have no appreciation of the natural world as the disconnect is so huge.

So what was once a garden full of insects, birds,life and a pond that will have had frogs and maybe newts is now an area of fakery and useless from a wildlife perspective. It was a decent sized garden.

Tango13

8,398 posts

175 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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Ambleton said:
Boosted LS1 said:
Of course many are to busy ripping up their gardens to park some stty bit of white goods up front, derr.
Or fake grass...

This year we've gone on a bit of a planting spree. Lots of lavender, sunflowers, foxgloves etc.

Our garden I'm sure to most looks overgrown and a mess but we have a lot of insects, bees, bugs, and frogs.

Especially earlier on in the year when our rosemary Bush was awash with blue flowers, it was always swarming with bees.

From what I understand bees suffer with dehydration so a rock pool feature that they can land on and have a drink is a great benefit to them.
I needed to re-seed some of the borders in both gardens when I moved here a couple of years back. I googled 'best seed mix for bees and butterflies' or something similar. I've given up trying to count how many bees I get of various species, some are tiny and some could take a fully grown cow hehe

Pothole

34,367 posts

281 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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Water is sufficient.

TR4man

5,208 posts

173 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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That is a lovely story - well done!

Turn7

23,504 posts

220 months

Saturday 26th June 2021
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Well done for helping out !

I’ve used sugar water before to help them out.

Agree with Boosted, our wildlife is being ignored
And it can only bite us in the arse if we lose them all.

Ambleton

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 27th June 2021
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Tango13 said:
I needed to re-seed some of the borders in both gardens when I moved here a couple of years back. I googled 'best seed mix for bees and butterflies' or something similar. I've given up trying to count how many bees I get of various species, some are tiny and some could take a fully grown cow hehe
just looked at similar things and we have virtually all the recommended plants already well established or on the way.

Some of them do rather take over, but the ground cover offered by the spreading geraniums is used extensively by frogs.

Previous

1,434 posts

153 months

Sunday 27th June 2021
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Good for you OP!

We've saved a few this year - probably put in danger by us as they needed fishing out of my little lads paddling pool.

A good way to teach kids about nature.

Like others, I can't stand that fake grass carp, usually looks awful too.

Tango13

8,398 posts

175 months

Sunday 27th June 2021
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Ambleton said:
Tango13 said:
I needed to re-seed some of the borders in both gardens when I moved here a couple of years back. I googled 'best seed mix for bees and butterflies' or something similar. I've given up trying to count how many bees I get of various species, some are tiny and some could take a fully grown cow hehe
just looked at similar things and we have virtually all the recommended plants already well established or on the way.

Some of them do rather take over, but the ground cover offered by the spreading geraniums is used extensively by frogs.
The borders have gone a bit mad this year, absolute riot of colours but they look good and the bees seem to like it so I see it as a win/win.

This years foxgloves could strike fear into the heart of a triffid which is pretty good as last year they did bugger all.

Not had any butterfies this year though, might still be a bit early for them?

rxe

6,700 posts

102 months

Sunday 27th June 2021
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Sorry to be the nerdy one when it comes to saving bees. Please don’t feed them honey, ever. Feed them sugary water, and if necessary warm them up in a cupped hand (safe for bumbles, honey bees with thank you the a sting).

There are a whole load of diseases spread by honey, and you have no idea at all where supermarket honey comes from. There are frequent outbreaks of American and European foul brood near honey processing plants. Foul brood is nasty - turns the hives to goop inside, and the only real answer is to burn them.

Honey jars are the only recycling that I bother to wash - bees are very good at finding honey (as you’d expect), so when you lob out your (Chinese in all likelihood) supermarket honey, you’re possibly exposing them to disease.

Joey Ramone

2,150 posts

124 months

Sunday 27th June 2021
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OP, I did exactly the same thing yesterday. Great to see.

BoggoStump

315 posts

48 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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Yep as said, dont feed them honey, feed them sugary water.

I used to help them on their way with honey till i was told about it... like RXE said.

Use sugary water only.

BoggoStump

315 posts

48 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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Great story though, i loved it.

Que the morons who would sstep on it or flush it own the toilet... ooo there busy shooting pigeons and other lovely birds at the moment.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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Great that you saved a ee. There so did I!

Swampy1982

3,305 posts

110 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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Ahh, I love this story, thanks for sharing.

I took a picture of a bee the other day, dunno what compelled me to, but in the spirit if the thread I'll share it


generationx

6,645 posts

104 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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Indeed that is a cool story Bro. I've done the same and, if out and about with no way to feed them if found on a path I'll at least help them to a safe place so they don't get stepped on.

We always have bee-friendly flowers in our garden.

Piersman2

6,596 posts

198 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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I always pick up any struggling bees and put them in a flower so they can rest and get to the nectar. They'll usually crawl off whatever I've used to pick them up and cling onto a flower center. Hopefully it gives them somewhere to rest, recuparate and re-charge! smile

bristolbaron

4,757 posts

211 months

Monday 28th June 2021
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I just wrote a long post but got logged out!

Basics - bee’s are great, this bush is AMAZING for them and birds. laugh